The present invention relates to garments which are designed to minimize exposure to the elements in emergency situations, and more particularly to an anti-exposure jacket which incorporates flotation and crotch insulation means.
Navy operations are global in nature and can therefore expose aircrewmen to a variety of geographic and climatic extremes. Present and future aircraft deployments indicate the continued need for operation over cold water regions with the continued liklihood of ditching in, or bailouts over below 60.degree. F. (16.degree. C.). In this environment, aircrews and air embarked personnel must have a capability to survive long enough to allow support aircraft efforts a reasonable chance of effecting rescue. The means by which the crewman is afforded the necessary protection to the hazards of cold exposure must in no way or very minimally degrade his effectivness during the inflight portion of the mission.
Accidental immersion in cold water (below 60.degree. F.) has two potentially lethal consequences; drowning or hypothermia. Drowning can be more readily avoided, through the compulsory use of reliably functioning personal flotation equipment. However, hypothermia is more difficult to avoid and for this reason it is recognized as the major problem of accidental immersion in cold water.
The desirability in many instances, of providing a anti-exposure jacket to enhance the survival potential of the wearer is well known. For instance, mobile helicopter crewmen under certain circumstances may be subjected to rapid and generally unexpected placement in frigid waters. It is customary to provide crewmen flotation devices in such cases. These flotation devices and/or other suitable garments provided to crewmen may be insulated in an attempt to decrease exposure of the wearer thereof to the elements.
Unfortunately, most of these exposure reducing and/or flotation garments are especially configured and constructed and are not generally suited for continuous wear. Therefore, in many instances where the need arises for such garments, there is sufficient time for the wearer to dress in such a garment. Furthermore, such insulated garments are usually designed so that they cover only the torso and arms of the wearer.
Heretofore, no means have been provided to properly protect the inner thigh portions and crotch portions of the wearer. It has been discovered that a wearers chance of survival in frigid waters can be greatly enhanced if the wearer's genitals are protected from the cold. To take advantage of this discovery, the present invention overcomes the problems associated with the prior art, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,300, by providing a garment that can be continuously and comfortably worn by the user and which provides means for insulating the torso, arms, and the critical crotch portion of the wearer from the elements.